Hat block



June 20, 1933.

J. w. PURCELL 1,914,864

HAT BLOCK Filed Jan 27, 1951 Zhwentor 34. Jane W attorneys.

Patented June 20, 1933 NETED STATES rennet FATEN'E' JANE WALL PURCEL'L, OF EIELENA, MGNTANA, ASSIGNOR TO ALICE CHAMBERLAIN, OF HELENA, IMONTANA HAT BLOCK Application filed January 27, 1931.

The present invention relates to improvements in hat blocks, and has for an object to provide an improved hat block in the nature of a form or stretcher for the hats,

in which simplicity of construction and ease of operation are secured.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved hat block in which an expansible block or form is provided for receiving the hat with convenient means for expanding and contracting such form.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in View, the invention will be more fully described hereinafter and will be more par- "ticularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the drawing, wherein like symbols refer to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views,

Figure 1 shows my improved hat block in the contracted position in side elevation, with parts broken away,

Figure 2 is a central vertical section with the parts shown in the expanded position,

and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 5 represents the base or bed on which the device is constructed and erected, this bed being made from a block of wood or other appropriate material.

Aflixed to the outer margin of the block and circumscribing the same is a shell 6 of metal or other appropriate material and of a cylindrical or any other desired form. Above the shell 6 are segments 7 constituting the form or block upon which the hat is adapted to be placed. As many of these segments 7 may be provided as desired.

In the drawing, for convenience, I have shown four such segments distributed about the head form, but as many as thirty-two and more of such segments may be provided.

The upper convergent ends of the segments 7 slidingly fit beneath a fixed cap 12, which has a wide head and a central shank 5,013, which is screw threaded or otherwise Serial No. 511,579.

removably received upon an operating shaft The shaft let is provided with left hand threads 15 at its upper portion and right hand threads 16 at its lower portion. Sleeves 17 and 18, correspondingly threaded, engage respectively the left and right hand threads 15 and 16 of the operating shaft 14.

These sleeves carry rods 19 and 20, preferably having hinged or universal joint connections with the sleeves 17 and 18, as indicated at 2]. and 22. Theupper set of rods 19, which radiate from the operating shaft 14-, have swivel or hinge connections at their outer ends with the upper part of the segments, as indicated at 23.

In a similar manner, the lower set of rods 20 have swivel or hinge connections at their outer ends, as indicated at 24, with the lower part of the form segments.

The shaft 14 may be appropriately supported at its lower end, for instance in a step bearing 25;and may be driven by appropriate means, for instance, through the 75 bevel gears 26 and 27, which are disposed in mesh. The bevel gear 26 is provided with a collar 28 having a set screw 29, by which it is affixed to the operating shaft l t.

The companion bevel gear 27 carries a collar 30 affixed by a set screw 31 to the drive shaft 32, such drive shaft being mounted in a bearing 33, which bearing, like the step 25, is erected upon the base or bed 5. The drive shaft 32 extends through the shell 6, and at its outer end carries an operating handle or wheel 34 by which the shaft may be rotated in one or the other direction. The operating shaft 14 is centered and stabilized by the sleeves and rods 19 and 20.

In the operation of the device, the parts are shown in the normal 1'8?" acted position in Figure 1, ready to receive a hat to be stretched. The hat is placed over the form and about the segments by pulling the same over the form much after the fashion in which the hat is drawn over the head.

Thereupon, the hand wheel 34 is rotated in the appropriate direction, causing movement to the shaft 32 and through the bevel gear wheels to the operating shaft 14. By virtue of the right and left hand threaded portions of the operating shaft 14, the sleeves l7 and 18 may be caused to move apart when the shaft 14 is rotated in one direction, and this will cause expansion of the segments, as indicated in Figure 2; or will draw the sleeves 17 and 18 together, if rotated in the opposite direction, causing the segments to be collapsed, as shown in Figure 1.

In order to secure this result, the rods 19 are disposed on a diagonal upward and outward from the sleeve 17 while the lower rods 20 are also disposed from an opposite diagonal extending downwards and out wards from the lower sleeve 18. The move ment of the sleeves apart will cause the rods to assume a more nearly radial position and thus thrust the segments outwardly, while also shifting the upper convergent ends of the segments Within the mushroom cap 12 which will act as a guide for the same, the segments being supported by the rods 19 and 20. These rods 19 and 20 not only guide the segments, but they also serve to support the segments and at the same time to center and align the operating shaft 14.

The device may be heated by electricity, if desired, and may be made to any shape.

The segments may be made from rigid, flexible or resilient material and preferably of metal. a

For the purpose of stabilizing the segments while they are expanding and contracting, such segments at their bases are preferably extended inwardly to provide the base flanges 35 which are cut-away centrally, as indicated at 36, to allow for the passage of the central shaft 14. These base segments 35 rest on a disk 37, which is supported by the shell 6, or this disk may be a part of the shell, if desired. In the base segments 35 are slots 38 radially disposed to receive pins or other fastenings 39 project ing up from the disk 37. The fastenings serve to guide the movement of the bases 35 upon the disk 37.

avoid vibration of the parts and will stabilize the segments in their movementfrom the position shown in Figure 1 to that shown in Figure 2 reversely.

It will be obvious that various changes in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts could be made, which could be used without departing from the spirit of my invention, and I do not mean to limit the invention to such details, except as particularly pointed. out in the claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is In a hat block, a base, a shell affixed to It will be seen that this construction will 7 the side of the base and extending upwardly from the base, a plate extending over the space enclosed by the shell, hat block segments having base parts slidably supported on said plate, guide means for the segments between said plate and base parts, a vertical shaft having its lower end supported 011 said base and extending up through the plate and within said segments, said shaft above the plate being provided with right and left screw threads, nuts on such right and left threads closely associated in the collapsed position of the segments and movable apart on rotation of the shaft in one direction, separate series of links pivoted to said nuts and to the segments, a cap over lying the upper portions of the segments and removably connected to said shaft, and means supported on the base within the enclosure of the shaft to rotate the shaft, said means having a part extending through the shell for external manipulation.

JANE WALL PURCELL. 

